Strawberry Raspberry Vanilla Quick Jam

Whoa, you guys… whoa. I thought we were friends. Why didn’t anyone tell me we were all wearing slimming shapewear now? You know… those Spanx-y, waist cinch-y, butt lift-y, tummy slimming undergarments. Why didn’t you tell me!? This is on par with not telling me that I have lipstick on my chin, spinach in my teeth, and naturally that… my fly is down.

I’ve been marveling at your tiny waists and tucked in bellies. Seriously. You’re looking completely major. I actually just wondered how you hold your breath for so long. I know how to suck and tuck it in… but come on… I have my moments when I actually have to breathe.

Can we just… can we stay on the same page? If you’re in awesome Spanx-y, cinch-y land… can you just let me know? Don’t leave a good girl behind.

Since everyone is wearing shapewear and not telling be about it, I made a simple and earnest quick jam. Ok… so the two things have nothing at all to do with one another. I was just trying to lay a guilt trip on you.

This is a quick jam because it hasn’t gone through the traditional canning process. The process that involves boiling fruit and glass? Yea… I didn’t do that.

There is a wonderfully lovely blog that specializes in boiling fruit and glass called Food in Jars.

Maybe I’ll get into canning one day. Intellectually I understand the benefits. Boiling glass makes me nervous… there, I said it.

Fresh raspberries and strawberries to start.

If you feel like these are too pretty to boil, just nip a few from the colander to snack on. I promise that these are jam worthy.

If you don’t have a vanilla bean on hand, this recipe is still dang fine without one. You can add just a dash of pure vanilla extract after the mixture is boiled and reduced.

Early jam boiling.

The raspberries will break down far faster than the strawberries. Yea… this is a seedy situation. It’s character building.

I love to throw the vanilla bean pod into the boiling fruit. Extra vanilla flavor just adds another layer of flavor. Supreme!

This wooden spoon gets a good amount of action.

Let me give you the skinny on this quick jam. It’s somewhere in between a jam and a fruit sauce. It’s certainly not the same consistency of a store-bought jam. Let’s be real… it’s sexier, for sure. I love how satisfyingly fast this recipe is. Add 15 minutes to the amount of time it takes you to wash and slice berries… and you’re in business. Because this jam is not thoroughly preserved, it has a much shorter shelf life than traditionally canned jam. This quick jam lasts about 10 days. That only means that this jam needs to go on absolutely everything: morning yogurt and granola, open-face peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and ice cream sundaes. It’s also rather delicious by the spoonful.

Place strawberries, raspberries, vanilla bean scrapings, and vanilla bean pod in a medium saucepan. Add sugar and lemon juice. Place over medium heat and stir occasionally. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, until fruit has broken down and liquid has thickened. This jam won’t thicken like a store-bought jarred jam. It will be a loose jam that will thicken slightly as it cools in the fridge. The consistency of this jam is somewhere in between a thick jam and a fruit syrup.

Once jam has thickened, remove from heat and place in one large or two small jars. Cover and place in the refrigerator to cool completely. Jam will last up to 10 days covered and sealed in the refrigerator.

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Comments

Joy,
You’re not alone chica. I just realized that many of my friends wear them too. I was like why everyone look soooo darn smooth?!?! I just got one this summer. Oh and it could only happen to me…went to a BBQ and a fan blew up my dress and well now everyone knows I wear one too.

I could use a good cinching in, I’ll tell ya! Two babies have done a number on my figure. But, Joy, wait! Did you know they make shapewear for MEN too?!?!! It’s a disturbing thought, I know, but I like to hope that none of them are actually running around out there in Man-Spanx.

Dude! What now? When did this happen? Admittedly, there is some major gym-time happening when it’s too rainy to get outside, but that’s only because I’m intimated by the Olympics abs-fest that is on my tv screen daily. Unlike those awesome ladies, I won’t be rocking a stomach-exposing tank top anytime soon, but that still doesn’t mean it’s time for the spanx. Nope, no spanx here.

I’ve made jam before but never boiled the glasses. All you really need to do to preserve it is use preserving sugar, boil the jam until it reaches setting point, then decant hot into sterilised jars, close them tight and leave to cool (ideally upside down for the first bit so a seal forms).
It should keep for at least a year unopened if the fruit wasn’t on the verge of going off, and pretty much lasts the same if kept in the fridge after opening and if always using a clean spoon.

Sterilize the jam jars by washing them thoroughly using hot, soapy water. Dry the jars in a slow (120ºC) oven for 20 minutes.

P.S. If I don’t have fresh raspberries I just use strawberries and add about a tablespoon of raspberry preserves while I am cooking the strawberries.
Gives the same extra layer of flavor as the fresh raspberries/strawberries combo.

Those berries are beautiful! I have to confess I’m not a huge fan of hot weather, but the produce makes summer worthwhile. My grandma makes a similar jam and calls it “freezer jam”. I have no idea why, but it is delicious on banana bread.

As for Spanx – I wore them in high school for prom, but they’re just way too constricting for summer.